Tuesday, August 6, the annual “National Night Out” was celebrated in many communities in Bergen County and throughout the country. The celebration in Teaneck’s Votee Park started at 5 p.m. and lasted until sundown, for the convenience of families with young children. Votee Park is the largest of Teaneck’s many parks. There was enough room to accommodate hundreds of attendees without disturbing those who were using the park’s ball fields, tennis courts, and exercise areas. And the splendid summer weather brought out a huge crowd. And Chop Stix had a table full of goodies, where you could easily chap a kosher nosh.

There was plenty of exciting entertainment for the kids. Bungee harnesses hung so that kids could jump high and land on huge air cushions repeatedly. The braver ones gleefully did somersaults while in the air. There were blow-up stairs to climb and slides to ride down. There was a long kid-size train that offered a ride along one side of the park. And there was face-painting done by really good artists, where the kids came out looking as scary or pretty as they desired, in accordance with their wishes. Lines were long at some rides because if one turn is good, several are better. Everyone was happy to wait in anticipation.

There were many tables manned by a variety of organizations. The ones from the Teaneck school system included ACE, a program for high school students who are grouped into teams and assigned a hands-on, complex project dealing with architecture, construction, and engineering. Dozens of students annually work with professional advisors who practice in those fields. The year-long challenge is rewarding to those who participate, and helps raise their performance in other subjects as well. There was a table manned by parents of students with special needs. At another table you could find out abut the school system’s addiction prevention programs.

The volunteer program to promote Fair Trade was well attended. The group is working with area merchants to let them know of the availability of Fair Trade products. Products that are produced at a fair wage and under good working conditions. Air Cadets told youngsters and their parents about the opportunity to learn leadership skills and learn how to pilot a small plane. One of the teenage cadets is licensed to solo and his younger brother is about to be licensed.

Perhaps the most valuable service offered was at a table where you could have your child, of any age, finger-printed and photographed for free. This information is sent to your local police department for use in case a child is missing. The table was constantly busy serving many families. A petition circulated by Mayors Against Illegal Guns was eagerly signed by dozens of mothers and fathers.

Separating all this from a large array of safety vehicles was the band shell where music played throughout the evening. Some danced and some just enjoyed the shade it offered. There were interesting vehicles from the police and sheriff’s departments and from the ambulance corps. Kids could enter these exhibits or sit in the vehicles and on the large motorcycles. A military tank was filled with several children at a time. The requisite badly wrecked car was on display to warn everyone to drive safely. The highlight of these displays was the landing and, much later, take-off of a helicopter. The excitement felt by everyone was in inverse proportion to their age. But everyone watched intently.

By the end, tired parents were telling their overstimulated little children that it was time to leave. As the sun went down, their parents managed to take their reluctant children home, where they could all get a well-deserved rest.

By Stephen Tencer